Baked Beans

The best baked beans I ever had was in Kansas City at Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue where they cooked their beans, called Hickory Pit Beans, underneath their barbecuing pork. They had a great barbecue flavor and chunks of barbecued pork were mixed through.

Baked Beans

These beans go exceptionally well with barbecued pork but are good with any barbecued or grilled food.

2 (28 ounce) cans Bush's Original Baked Beans
1/2 pound bacon (or substitute 1/2 cup chopped pulled pork)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce

Fry the bacon until very crisp. Saute the onion and pepper in the bacon drippings until soft. Mix all together, taste and adjust flavoring from ketchup and barbecue sauce. You may want to add a little more along with some brown sugar.

Bake in 300° F. oven for about 1 hour.

Alternatively, transfer to an aluminum baking pan. Place in smoker uncovered at medium heat (225° F- 275° F.) for about 90 minutes or until heated though.

Tip: Next time you smoke a pork shoulder or brisket put some away in a freezer bag for use in your beans.

Hard Rock Café BBQ Beans
from http://www.topsecretrecipes.com

2 15-ounce cans small white beans (with liquid)
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons diced onion
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 cup shredded pulled pork or 2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Pour entire contents of the can of pinto beans into a casserole dish (with a lid).
3. Dissolve the cornstarch in a small bowl with the 2 tablespoons of water. Add this solution to the beans and stir.
4. Add the remaining ingredients to the dish, stir well and cover.
5. Bake for 90 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Stir every 30 minutes. After removing the beans from the oven, let the beans cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 to 8 as a side dish.